title: Quality of life and illness beliefs in individuals with early psychosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quality of life (QoL) has become an important outcome measure in early psychosis. This study examined associations between illness beliefs (how individuals perceive their mental health problems), symptom factors and QoL in an early psychosis population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one individuals with early psychosis completed a battery of questionnaires measuring QoL, illness perceptions, psychotic and affective symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QoL was significantly associated with certain illness beliefs, namely treatment control and consequences of psychosis. Lower levels of QoL were associated with higher depression, anxiety and general psychopathology. QoL was found to be predicted by key illness beliefs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Causality has not been fully established, but these results suggest that beliefs about mental health problems may have a direct impact on outcome, and point towards possible targets for intervention, such as challenging illness-related appraisals. This is consistent with both general cognitive models of psychosis, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for this client group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Theodore
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chalmers-Brown
authors.forename: Rhianne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrop
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ellett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012923:Social Class; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires